Two-alarm fire destroys garage, house in South Taft

A two-alarm fire destroyed a garage and a vacant house and threatened another occupied home Tuesday in South Taft. The two alarm fire at 406 Montview was reported at 11:48 a.m. and it took firefighters more than an hour to control it. Damage is estimated at $85,000. There were no injuries. An investigator was sent to the scen...

A two-alarm fire destroyed a garage and a vacant house and threatened another occupied home Tuesday in South Taft.

The two alarm fire at 406 Montview was reported at 11:48 a.m. and it took firefighters more than an hour to control it.

Damage is estimated at $85,000.

There were no injuries.

An investigator was sent to the scene to determine the cause.

Five engines and a ladder truck and a total of 18 Kern County firefighters responded to the fire.

An engine and ladder truck from Taft plus engines from Taft, Fellows, Maricopa, McKittrick and Old River were used on the fire.

A large column of smoke was visible from a distance and arriving firefighters found heavy fire in both the 1,000-square foot main residence with a loft and the garage behind it, KCFD spokesman Corey Wilford said.

The fire was also spreading into dried vegetation surrounding the homes.

Wilford said the biggest concern was preventing the spread of the fire to the occupied home just north of the burning home.

The house that burned was apparently vacant, Wilford said.

A sign on front said there was no gas and a front window was boarded up, Wilford said.

There was electrical service to the home and down and arcing power lines complicated firefighting efforts.